Divorce: Not Just Because

The other night I was visiting with friend and it came up what I was preaching on the next day.  I said, “I’m preaching on divorce tomorrow”.  My whole intent was to see the reaction, which I received one!  “Zoinks” was the response.  I just laughed and responded that I was preaching through Matthew and this was just part of the journey.

It seems that oftentimes the subject of divorce comes with so much stigma.  Whether it is in the religious circle or society itself.  Granted, it isn’t something that people should be bragging about.  But it has such a bad stigma that judgment usually follows the news of someone who did get or is getting a divorce.

Sunday, we looked at Matthew 5:31-32 as Jesus was addressing the disciples on the subject of divorce.  Jesus builds his argument by referring to a black and white thought which had come from Deuteronomy 24:1-4 (click to read).  In this text Moses visits the topic of writing a certificate of divorce and the woman who is impacted. Jesus then turns to a thought without the smooth edges to talk about how the Jewish mindset had abused Deuteronomy 24.

The Jews (who had two main schools of thought on this – Shammai, Hillel) had given just about any reason as an OK reason to write a certificate of divorce. Partly because of the hard hearts of the people at that time. Now, in Jesus’ day, they were still used to that way of thinking. Jesus was wanting them to understand that “any reason” was not a good reason.  The “good” reason for getting a divorce was “unfaithfulness”.  This didn’t address “unfaithfulness” as the only reason that was accepted, but Jesus wanted them to stop abusing women/wives by abusing the option of divorce. Here are some applications to choose from to use this week…

1. Permanency of Marriage ~ Marriage is a unique relationship. It starts out by an incredible, heightened interest that is predominantly about attraction. Marriage is about openness, honesty, and trust. Once that relationship matures to the point of sharing your lives, then the test comes. It would be wrong to say that the “attraction” wears off or the smoke clears, but something happens to cause us to finally see the person for who they are.  Sometimes we may not like that person very much.  That is partly what makes marriage unique.  If you are viewing your marriage as “not permanent”, refocus that line of thought to consider how you can return back to the way of thinking you used to have when you did view it as permanent.
2. Who Did You Marry? ~ The person you married is going to be named various names, but that isn’t what the question is about. I am addressing that those who are Christians have a marriage-type relationship with Him.  In Ephesians 5, Paul addresses how Jesus is “married” to His church (the bride).  Jesus has done a lot for us, as a “husband”.  He is not going to divorce us and we should not divorce Him!
3. Stay Married ~ During marriage we go through our fair share of ups and downs.  The downs may seem like it is impossible to keep going.  However, I encourage you to do just that.  KEEP GOING!!!
***A super, awesome, amazing marriage book is called Love and Respect, by Emerson Eggerichs

Marriage should never be broken up “just because”.  It is a relationship that is expected to keep going and going and going, until “death do you part”.  Jesus is trying to get them/us to understand that marriage should not be broken up “just because”.

Whether you are “married” in your relationship with Him and/or you are married to a spouse…stay that way!

As this is a “hot” topic, feel free to leave a comment or e-mail me at ichthus_man (at) hotmail.com

"I Don't...Want You to Be Unprotected" - I Corinthians 13:7a (NIV)

Protection is important in so many realms.  In sports, especially contact sports, it is vital to have the proper protection, along with the proper fitting protection.  Firefighters need protection as they enter in to a burning blaze.  Cars are equipped with protection from accidents.  Is your spouse or someone close to you fitted with the right protection as they ventured out into the world today?

Are those we love not going through their day unprotected, based on what you can be doing?  Which is, at most, praying.  Petitioning to God that He watch over them and their situations today.  I hope you are putting the people you love in the hands of God. 

Yesterday, we looked at a couple of instances of Abraham and Sarah where they both left each other unprotected and in a vulnerable situation. We need to remember to not leave our spouses or anyone we care about, unprotected as they go through their day.  Here are some applications to choose from to use this week...

1. Realize People are Unprotected ~ You may not have thought about your spouses, kids, or your friends being unprotected in the destination they were heading to today.  However, they probably were and why take a chance on them being left unprotected.
•  Kids at School
• Peers - as they talk about what they did over the weekend and possible "fun" they had.
• Boyfriend/Girlfriend - staying pure and choosing a person to date, wisely.
• Cheating - so they won't want to take the easy way out of getting assignments done or not studying well enough and being tempted to look off of a neighbor's paper
• Be an example to others, being willing to walk away from certain dangerous situation
• Any cell phone use, hopefully not at school, will be used for clean communication, not gossip, demeaning, crudeness, or sexting.
• Work
• Co-workers - Won't be tempted to get emotionally or physically involved
• Supervisors - They will be able to handle situations with integrity and sophistication
• Customers - They will be able to handle confrontations well, Keeping interactions completely "business"
• Business trips - Loyalty to the people you love
•  Public
• Driving - Alertness of yourself, safety from other driver, car operating properly
• Shopping - Keeping your eyes in check - other people, magazine pictures, gossip papers
• Home
• Television - both is seen and heard - even to the point that you will not fall victim of impulse buying during "infomercials" or shopping channels, etc.
• Computer - Adults and kids are all possible victims of some kind of online porn - doesn't have to be visual.  It can also be "soft" porn.  Online predators.  Social media - possible problems with seeing/posting bad comments/pictures.
• NOTE: Not all of these are going to be where the person you are praying for is the one doing the wrong thing.  They call be reversed where the person you are praying about is being preyed upon.
2. Pray for People Who are Unprotected ~ Is someone you know being involved in one of those general areas listed in #1?  Probably everyone in your household is involved in those sometime today.  Pray for them!
3. What price would you pay? - Identity theft has become a pretty big deal over the past decade.  People go to great lengths to make sure they're protected.  What would you do if someone started using your identification numbers?  You'd probably panic a bit at first.  Well, you could solve a good number of your worries with protection by just taking them to the ultimate Protector...God.  Let Him know your issues so that He can protect you and your loved ones.

It can be a real wake up call for some to see that the ones they care about often go unprotected.  By the way, there's nothing wrong with praying for yourself, either.

Can you continue to add to the pledge of "I Don't"s by saying "I don't want you to be unprotected"?




Social Bookmarking Links

At Just the Right Time - Exodus 14:10-14

This year's Olympics were filled with some exciting finishes, specifically in swimming. Michael Phelps has gone down in history as one of the greatest male swimmers for the US of all time. In a couple of his races, he or his team, won by a fraction of a second. Which means, at just the right time, a person on the US team touched the wall before the opponent's. There are times which God does the same thing when it comes to dealing with us.

Yesterday, we looked at the text where Moses and the Israelites are on the verge of being captured by the Egyptian army. The Israelites have the Red Sea in front, mountains to side, and an army behind. They're doomed! However, at just the right time, God allows the waters to recede, forming two walls of water and dry ground underneath. Thus giving them a chance to cross over, free from the Egyptian army. Here are some applications to choose from in applying the lesson...

1. New situations make us uncomfortable. When you are involved in something new, the old life may seem better because you were used to it. Whether you are moving to a new town, trying out a new church, got a new job, etc., allow time to be given so that you can see how God is going to use you where you're at right then.
   
2. We live in a cruel world and it can be lonely sometimes. You may not be walking on water, but still, don't look down, keep your eyes on Jesus! Pursue Him, knowing that He is always there for you when you need Him - and boy, do we need Him a lot more than we think!
3. Undergoing trials? Trials allow us to refocus ourselves on Him and not on the impossiblities. Look throught obstacles as ways to be closer to God and find Him in the midst of these trials. "Seek and you will find"!
   

God is faithful and He will take care of us. Some of the solutions may seem so far off that we are not comfortable with them when they do come. However, at just the right time, God will bring you through your "Red Sea" on dry ground!

Praising Him for His Rescue, at Just the Right Time ~